Table coupling apparatus



J. L. DRAKE TABLE COUPLING APPARATUS Dec. 4, 19.34.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1929 Qwtnnlbc John LDra/(e duomuq Dec.4, 1934. J RAKE TABLE COUPLING APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1929 2sheets-sheet 2 gwoem r01, Jhn L. Ora/(e 6H0: nu

Patented Dec. 4. 1934 y I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,982,647 TABLECOUPLING APPARATUS John L. Drake, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of OhioApplication June 29,1929, Serial No. 374,883 7 8 Claims. owls-10o) Thisinvention relates to improvements in apwith at each end by a verticalconnecting wall or paratus designed particularly for use in what is webloincluding the inwardly extending central known as the continuoussystem for grinding and portion 11 and the transverse side portions 12polishing sheet glass wherein the glass sheets, and 13. Slidably mountedwithin each of the mounted upon cars or tables, are ground andtransverse portions 12 and 13 of web is a hori- 60 polished in astraight-away operation by passing zontal pin 14 provided'at its outerend with a subthem successively beneath a series of grinding stantiallyU-shaped bracket 15 between the and polishing units. spaced legs 16 ofwhich is carried a shaft 17 upon The invention has for its principal.objects the which ismounted a hook 18, said hook being pro- 10 provisionof an improved type of coupling means videcl with an off-set trip lug orprojection 19 re- 5 for securing the adjacent cars or tables togetherceived within the recess 20 in web 10. and in the provision of novelmeans for control- Carried by the opposite end of pin 14 is a ling thecoupling and uncoupling of the cars or bracket 21 having spaced ears 22between which tables by the operator of an operating car which ispivoted as at 23 one end of a transversely ar- 15 is used to pull thecars or tables apart subseranged operating or rockerarm 24, said armbequent to the uncoupling thereof and to push them ing fulcrumedintermediate its ends upon the into abutting relation prior to coupling,said opshaft 25. Encircling the pin 14 is a compression erator beingable to accomplish the coupling and spring 26 bearing at its oppositeends against the uncoupling of the cars or tables withoutassisttransverse web portion 12 or 13, and bracket 21 20 ance fromothers or without leaving the operating so as to normally draw and holdthe hook 18 car. Another object is the provision of appainwardly. Eachrocker arm 24 is provided at its ratus for controlling the coupling anduncoupling inner end with a substantially U-shaped portion of the tablesincluding means carried by the op- 27 adapted to fit'about the actuatingrod 28 sliderating car for maintaining the coupling means in ablyreceived through the central portion 11 of 25 an uncoupled positionduring either a pushing or Web 10 and formed at its adjacent end with apulling of the table. head 29. The operating rod 28 extends longitudi-Other objects and advantages of the invention nally of the table and isassociated at the opwill become more apparent during the course orposite end thereof with a similar coupling mechathe followingdescription when taken in connecnism. Fixed to the rod 28 outwardly ofrocker 30 tion with the accompanying drawings. arms 24 is a collar 30.The coupling means at .85

In the drawings forminga part of this applicathe opposite end of thetable is exactly of the tion and wherein like numerals are employed tosame construction with the exception that the designate like partsthroughout thesame. j v hooks face in the opposite direction as isneces- Fig. 1 is a topplan view of theadjacent ends sary so that thecooperating'hooks at the adjacent 35 of two adjoining cars or tablesbroken awayto ends of the two adjoining tables may be interenshow theimproved coupling means associated gaged with one another to couple thetables totherewith. gether. Thus, the hooks 18 at one end of the Fig. 2is a side elevation partially in section table and the hooks 31 .carriedat the adjacent of the operating car for controlling the coupling end ofthe adjoining table face in opposite direc- 0 and uncoupling of.thetables, and 7 1110115,. v f

Fig. Bis a top plan view thereof partiallybroken In operation, when thetwo tables are properly away to show parts of the operating mechanism.coupled together the adjacent hooks 18 and 31 In the drawings isillustrated a plurality of interlock one another and the various partsaswork cars or tables 5 mounted upon wheels 6 sume the positionsindicated by the full lines in 45 rolling along a trackway 7. In thecontinuous Fig. 1. However, when it is desired touncouple system forgrinding and. polishing glass sheets, the tables, theactuating rod 28 ispulled inwardly a desired number of tables 5 are adapted to be so thatthe-collar 30 engaging the inner ends of coupled end to end and aremovable along the rocker arms 24 will function to rock said armstrackway 7 to carry glass sheets, mounted thereabout shafts 25 and thusforce the pins 14 out- 50 upon, first beneath a series of grinding unitsand wardly against the action of compression springs then beneath aseries of polishing units. 26. Upon outward movement of pins 14 and Inthe present instance, each work table 5 comhooks 18 will :be carriedtherewith and trip lugs prises a flat top 8 upon which the glass sheets19 abutting the front end walls or recesses 20 to be surfaced areadapted to be secured and a will cause or effect a tripping of the hooks18 to 55 bottom 9 spaced fromtop 8 and connected thererock themlaterally out of engagement with hooks 31. When it is again desired tocouple the tables, the actuating rod 28 is also pulled inwardly to firstmove the hooks 18 forwardly and laterally to their broken line positionsin Fig. 1, after which the table is moved to abut the adjacent table andthe rod 28 released whereupon the springs 26 will function to draw thepins 14 and hooks 18 inwardly and the trip lugs 19 then abutting theinner walls of recesses 20 will rock the hooks 18 to engage hooks 31.The compression springs 26 act to hold the hooks 18 and 31 in firminterlocking engagement. The rod 28 is therefore associated with thecoupling means at opposite ends of the table and upon movement in onedirection is adapted to effect the operation of the coupling means atone end of the table and upon movement in the opposite direction willcause the operation of the coupling means at the oppositeend'of saidtable.

For the purpose of controlling the coupling and uncoupling of the carsor tables, there is provided an operating car 33 mounted upon wheels 34and movable along the trackway 7. The operating car 33 has mountedthereupon a horizontal sliding member 35 to the forward end of which ispivoted as at 36 a hook member 3'? adapted for engagement with theoperating rod 28. The sliding member 35 is suitably supported forhorizontal forward and backward sliding movement and has secured to itsrear end a screw 38 threaded through a spiral gear 39 mounted betweenbearings 40 through which said screw extends. The spiral gear 39 isadapted to be driven from a second spiral gear 41 carried by shaft 42driven H from motor 43 through suitable reduction gearably carried bythe ing so that upon operation of the motor the sliding member 35 can bemoved inwardly or outwardly as desired. Mounted beneath and slidslidemember 35 is a slide bar 44 to the inner end of which is pivoted as at45 a lever 46 fulcrumed intermediate its ends as at 47 and carrying apawl 48 adapted to engage the toothed segment or ratchet 49. Uponrocking movement of the lever 46 about its pivot 47 the slide bar 44 canbe moved inwardly or outwardly relative to the slide member 35.

It will, of course. be readily understood that in the continuous systemfor surfacing sheet glass, a plurality of tables are coupled togetherend to end in a manner to form an unbroken line or train, said tablesbeing movable upon rails and being adapted to carry the glass sheetsbeneath a series of grinding and polishing units. The tables-are coupledtogether at the forward end of the line and uncoupled at the oppositeend thereof. In other words, as one table is added at the forward end ofthe line, one table is being removed from the opposite end of said line.Therefore, an operating car can be provided at each end of the line oftables, the operating car at the forward end being used for coupling thetables together and the operating car at the opposite end being employedto uncouple the tables. When it is desired to uncouple the tables, theoperating car 33 is moved along the trackway 7 until its forward endabuts the end of the adjacent table, after which the slide member 35 ismoved forwardly until the hook 3'1 thereof is positioned beneath'theadja'cent end of operating rod- 28 inwardly of the head 29 thereof.The lever 46 is then rockedabout its pivot 47 to move the-slide bar44outward1y and this bar engaging hook 37 will rock the same upwardlyabout its pivot 36 and hold it in engagement with rod 28 inwardly ofhead 29. The motor 43 is then driven to thread the screw 38rearwardly'through spiral gear 39 so as to draw the slide member 35 andslide bar 44 rearwardly as a unit. Upon such rearward movement of slidemember 35 the hook 37 thereof engaging head 29 of operating rod 28 willdraw said operating rod therewith so that the collar 30 at the oppositeend thereof engaging rocker arms 24 will efiect the disengagement ofhooks 18 from the hooks'31 on the adjacent table in the manner abovedescribed whereby to effect the uncoupling thereof. The table 5 withwhich the operating car 33 is associated can then be pulled away fromthe adjacent table upon rearward movement of the operating car and itwill be apparent that with such an arrangement the coupling means willbe held in uncoupled or inoperative position or, in other words, thehooks 18 will be held in their broken line position indicated in Fig. 1upon either a pushing or pulling of the tables. Upon rearward movementof the operating car to separate the tables, the bar 28 and head 29,together with the hook 37, constitute a coupling means for connectingthe operating car and adjacent table together. When it is desired tocouple the tables together, the coupling means is first moved intouncoupled position in the manner above described after which the table 5is pushed by the operating car 33 to abut the adjacent table to which itis to be coupled after which the slide bar 44 is moved rearwardly withrespect to the slide members 35 to permit hook 3'? to drop downwardlyout of the path of head 29 of operating rod 28 whereupon the compressionsprings 26 will draw the operating rod forwardly and rock the arms 24about shafts 25 to move the hooks 18 into engagement with hooks 31.Thus, the operator stationed upon the operating car can eifect thecoupling and uncoupling of the tables without assistance from others andwithout leaving the car.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

I claim 1 1. In coupling means for cars or tables, coupling apparatusarranged at each end of the table and including a pivotally mountedhook, a rocker arm also arranged adjacent each end of the table,connections between each rocker arm and its respective hook, anoperating rod extending longitudinally of the table and adapted uponmovement in one direction to actuate one of the rocker arms whereby toeffect swinging of the respective hook about its pivot and when moved inthe opposite direction to actuate the rocker arm at the opposite end ofthe table to efiect swinging movement of the respective hook, and meanscarried by the table for causing the swinging movement of said hooksupon actuation of said rocker arms.

2. In coupling means for cars or tables, coupling apparatus arranged ateach end of the table and including a pivotally mounted hook having atrip lug, a rocker arm also arranged adjacent 'each'end of the table,connections between each rocker arm and its respective heck, 'anoperating rod extending longitudinally of the table and adapted uponmovement in one direction to actuate the rocker arm at one end of thetable to eifect a stripping of the respective hook and when moved in theopposite direction to actuate the rocker arm at the opposite end of thetable to effect tripping of the respective hook, and stationary meanscarried by the table and engageable by said trip lugs for causing thetripping of said hooks upon actuation of said rocker arms.

3. In coupling means for cars or tables, coupling apparatus arranged ateach end of the table and including a plurality of pivotally mountedhooks, a plurality of rocker arms also carried by said table adjacenteach end thereof, connections between said rocker arms and hooks, a rodextending longitudinally of the table and adapted upon movement in onedirection to actuate the rocker arms to effect swinging of the hookssimultaneously at one end of the table and upon movement in the oppositedirection to actuate the rocker arms at the opposite end of the table toefiect simultaneous swinging of the respective hooks, and means carriedby the table for causing the swinging movement of said hooks uponactuation of said rocker arms.

4. In coupling means for cars or tables, coupling apparatus arranged ateach end of the table and including a plurality of pivotally mountedhooks, each having an offset trip lug, a

plurality of rocker arms carried adjacent eachv end of the table,connections between the rocker arms and the respective hooks, a rodextending longitudinally of the table and adapted upon sliding movementin one direction to actuate the rocker arms at one end of the table toeffect tripping of the respective hooks simultaneously and upon movementin the opposite direction to actuate the rocker arms at the opposite endof the table to effect simultaneous tripping of the respective hooks,and stationary means carried by the table and engageable by the triplugs for causing the tripping of said hooks upon actuation of saidrocker arms.

5. In coupling means for cars or tables, coupling apparatus arranged atone end of the table and including a hook carried by said table andmovable longitudinally thereof, means for pivotally mounting said hookto swing laterally, means for moving the hook forwardly, means fortripping said hook during forward movement thereof to swing the samelaterally about its pivot, spring means tending to normally draw thehook inwardly upon the release of the forward moving means, and meansfor swinging the hook laterally in the opposite direction during inwardmovement thereof to return it to its initial position.

6. In coupling means for cars or tables, coupling, apparatus arranged atone end of the table and including a plurality of pivotally mountedhooks carried by said table and movable longitudinally thereof, meansfor pivotally mounting said hooks to swing laterally, means forsimultaneously moving the hooks forwardly, means for tripping said hooksduring forward movement thereof to swing the same laterally about theirpivots, spring means tending to draw the hooks inwardly upon the releaseof the forward moving means, and means for swinging the hooks laterallyin the opposite direction during inward movement thereof to return themto their initial positions.

7. In coupling means for cars or tables, coupling apparatus arranged atone end of the table and including a hook carried by said table andmovable longitudinally thereof, means for pivotally mounting said hookto swing laterally about a vertical pivot, said hook having a trip lug100 adapted to engage a portion of the table, a rocker arm, connectionsbetween said rocker arm and hook, and a slidable rod having meansengaging the inner end of said rocker arm for rocking it in a manner tomove the hook forwardly and cause it to be tripped by the trip lug andthus swung laterally about its pivot.

8. In coupling means for cars or tables, coupling apparatus arranged atone end of the table and including a plurality of hooks carried by saidtable and movable longitudinally thereof, means for pivotally mountingsaid hooks to swing about vertical pivots, each hook having a trip lugadapted to engage a portion of said table, a pair of rocker arms, onefor each hook, connections between said rocker arms and the respectivehooks, and a slidable rod passing between and having means engaging theinner ends of said arms for rocking them in a manner to simultaneouslymove the hooks forwardly and cause them to be tripped by the trip lugsand thus swung laterally about their pivots.

JOHN L. DRAKE.

